


Naturally

by DearDead



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Birthing Matrix, F/F, Family Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Krypton, Pre-Relationship, Secret Santa 2019, accidental baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:02:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21658723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearDead/pseuds/DearDead
Summary: It starts with an old Kryptonian ritual and it ends with a baby.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers, J'onn J'onzz | Hank Henshaw & Winn Schott Jr., Kara Danvers & J'onn J'onzz | Hank Henshaw
Comments: 9
Kudos: 254
Collections: Secret Kalex Santa 2019





	Naturally

**Author's Note:**

  * For [astradanvers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astradanvers/gifts).



The air is still and stuffy when she steps in. It’s cold — and not just because she’s in the Arctic right now, but because her heart freezes when she sees her. Her chest contrites and her breath catches, stopping the small puffs of smoke as she inhales sharply in the cold air. The words get stuck in her throat but her muscles don’t betray her heart; her legs take her right next to the slender figure sitting on the floor.

“Hey.” The whisper, hesitant and quiet, is enough to briefly stir Kara way from dark thoughts and she tilts her head in acknowledgment. Alex is almost shaking because of the temperature but, even with being on the frozen floor, her sister’s warmth is enough to keep her teeth from clattering. “I just…” She takes a long breath before letting it out slowly. “I thought I’d find you here but— if you need time alone, I can go.” 

The offer is nothing short of sweet and genuine and that’s what makes the blonde lean against her body. “Stay.” It’s said so quietly that if it wasn’t for the utter silence surrounding them, Alex would have thought it was just a tired exhale.

More confident that Kara needs her now and doesn’t just tolerate her presence, the DEO agent puts a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulls her flush against her side. “Always,” she promises against her hair, eyes closed as she plants a kiss there that she hopes convey her support and love.

They stay like that for a while, both sitting on the floor of the Fortress of Solitude as the Kryptonian silently stares at gigantic, frozen statues of people she once called family — she’s not so sure now, not after everything that happened. She’s not sure blood is enough to tie her to people who created a weapon to annihilate everyone and everything that wasn’t Kryptonian.   
The warmth that Kara radiates is enough to keep Alex’s fingers from falling off and she’s curled up around her to offer comfort and reassure her that she’s not alone. The slow rubbing of her thumb on the blonde’s shoulder is in sync with her breathing — it’s slow and even but it’s so quiet, and it makes Alex think back to those days where Kara was trying not to make a noise.

Eventually, without prompting or warning, the Kryptonian speaks and her voice is as quiet as her breathing. “I just don’t know how I fit into all of this,” she admits.

“What do you mean ?” Alex whispers back, all of her attention focused on the slow rise and fall of Kara’s chest.

There’s a short silence and the agent knows that Kara is trying to find the right words; so she lets her. “I just… I went against my aunt, against Myriad, to save the Earth.” There’s a pause, a shuddering breath, and Alex feels herself tense in anticipation of what’s to come. “I— I—” Kara tries to clear her throat but it comes out more as a strangled cry; quiet but so painful to hear.  _ “Black Mercy,”  _ she finally chokes out, squeezing her eyes shut as she shifts just so and burrows her face into her sister’s neck. “I just do everything I can to protect everyone, to protect this planet, but…” The words are muffled against her winter jacket but the brunette hasn’t missed a single one.

Putting her chin on blonde hair, Alex tightens her hold and the Kryptonian is almost sitting on her lap. “But what ?” she prompts gently in a whisper while her hand smooths already perfect hair, the quiet around them not as suffocating now that Kara is communicating.

There’s an inaudible sigh, only noticed because of the breath against soft skin, and Kara tilts her head so her mouth is free of cold fabric and auburn hair. “But I’ve got nothing from Krypton,” she eventually breathes out, like a secret. “I just— I— I’m not from Earth but I put everything on the line, all the time to protect it, even going against my whole family to do it, and… I just push my heritage away so I can create one here but I still miss it.”

It’s not the first time Kara has talked about her losses, about her culture and what it means to live without; but never this much, never with this much vehemence and almost hatred. The tone is controlled, but that’s Kara for you — never letting her temper get away from her, never taking the risk to  _ hurt.  _

Alex’s arms ache at the strain, knows they’ll still ache tomorrow after hugging someone this tightly, but she couldn’t care less. “You still have Kal-El,” she tries, moving her head so her cheek is against her sister’s forehead. “And this place.” She knows it’s not the same, knows it doesn’t even  _ begin  _ to compare, but that’s all she has right now.

The blonde’s forehead rubs against the cheek as she nods lightly. “I know,” she croaks, her voice tired and burdened.

“And you have me,” Alex adds with emotion. “I know I’m not from Krypton and I don’t know anything about your heritage and what you’ve lost, but I can still be here for you.” She squeezes and tries to keep her tears from falling. “If you want me to be.”

The answer is almost rushed, the, “I do,” quick and breathy but so honest that kissing the blonde’s temple is impossible to resist.

“You can share everything with me,” she continues, both women holding on so tightly that they can’t tell which limb is whose anymore. “And if you have traditions you want us to uphold, then we can do that.” She pauses and Kara can hear the agent’s heart quicken and her breathing getting shorter. “I know I’ve never asked you about it,” she says, and the Kryptonian understands the meaning behind the change in her heartbeat — guilt, “but I didn’t want to intrude. You seemed to take to ours rather easily and happily,” the blonde smiles against Alex’s shoulder as she thinks about the beautiful spirit of Christmas, “but I should have talked to you about it, I should have known you were holding back, I should have—”

Kara squeezes a bit more than usual, stopping Alex in the middle of her self-hating monologue. “Alex.” There’s a soft warning in her voice, soft but firm, and she slowly relaxes her hold.

But Alex is finally letting it all out. “I was a coward,” she persists, squeezing back. “And I’m sorry.” She takes a breath and pulls away just enough to look into blue eyes. “But I’m done and I’m here now,” she promises with determination burning in her eyes. “So… don’t hold back,” she orders with a soft knock of her forehead against Kara’s. “We can find Krypton again,” she says with a soft look. “In there.” And her hand softly taps on the blonde’s chest, right above her heart.

It’s in times like these that Kara gets timid and flustered — during quiet times with soft words and even softer confessions. And so her face slips from Alex’s forehead to hide in her neck instead and, even if her body runs warmer than humans, the brunette swears she can still  _ feel  _ the blush she’s sure her sister is sporting right now.

“Thank you,” is blurted out shyly and Alex couldn’t keep the adoring smile off of her smile if she’d tried.

“Anytime.”

The agent smiles to herself as she shifts so the Kryptonian has her legs across Alex’s and blonde hair under her face — it’s only during times like these that she can safely say that she’s taller than her sister. Frankly, she’s mostly grateful that Kara allows her to be there for her — it hasn’t always been the case, even after all their secrets laid bare before them.   
Kara has that belief that she has to downplay her fears, her pain. Alex hides hers because she’s convinced it protects Kara this way, but the Kryptonian doesn’t want to lie; and she doesn’t, she just acts like it’s not as bad as it feels. She’s gotten good at that, Myriad followed by quiet sisters nights and bright lunches and broad smiles.

But right now ? It’s obvious she’s been hiding the biggest part of her Kryptonian iceberg.

“There’s this… ritual,” Kara eventually says, her voice guarded like she expects her sister to take back everything she’s said and leave her to a world void of traditions and only sustained by old memories and faint feelings of  _ before.  _

But Alex lazily hums and doesn’t stop the slow motions of her fingertips along her sister’s arm. “Yeah ?” Her voice is so soft, sounds like it usually does when she’s almost asleep, but the sound of her strong heartbeat betrays her wakeful state.

The slight remaining tension in Kara’s muscles evaporates just with one word of the human and her body becomes limp in her arms. “There’s not really a name — not an official one anyway. Some used to have it right before Nova Cycle and some before…” She trails off, her face growing hot as she suddenly remembers why people actually had it for.

There’s a gentle nudge of a shoulder and a slight amused smirk. “What ?” Alex asks, knows when the blonde is angry or sad; or flustered and shy. So, naturally, the DEO agent is curious and she can’t help but push a little.

“Before using the Birthing Matrix,” she reveals in an embarrassed whisper, but plows on as to hide her awkwardness — as if it’d work with Alex. “It doesn’t have anything to do with—  _ that,”  _ she almost chokes as she tries to explain without really  _ explaining.  _ “It’s…” She takes a deep breath, centers herself, and thinks of Torquasm-Vo and vows to do it more often, a tiny piece of Krypton still within her after all; if she chooses to. “It’s about closeness,” she finally clarifies, although most of the meaning is still a big grey area. “It’s about the bond between two beings.”  _ Or more,  _ she thinks, or wonders because she’s not exactly sure about the technicalities and how Krypton actually worked. 

It’s still hard to describe, it’s a distant memory to her at best; something she’s been explained as a kid, something she’s seen parts of but never took part in.

Alex’s heartbeat is still strong and steady and  _ there.  _ “Sounds amazing,” she softly whispers and Kara can’t stop the warm smile that takes over her features.

Humming, comfortable and warm, Kara relaxes further in her sister’s arms with a content sigh. “Yeah. I’ve never done it because I was too young, but people always seemed closer after. At peace.” Her voice is still quiet, low but clear in the silence of the Fortress of Solitude. 

_ What a drama queen,  _ Kara snorts in her mind, thinking of her cousin and his bad naming skills.  _ I would have named it something so much cooler.  _ She holds back a real snort this time, the cold pun not lost on her.

Feeling Alex shift under her weight, Kara grumbles when the brunette finally detangles herself from the Kryptonian and stands up. “Come on,” she says, offering her hand to Kara and wriggling fingers prompting the blonde to follow her up.

_ “Why ?” _ Kara whines with a pout, already missing the comfortable limbs and soft scent of the human. Her hand is already reaching to Alex’s though, and the warm touch instantly puts her back into her safe zone.

With a soft smile, Alex intertwines her fingers with the blonde’s and looks at her with tenderness and trust. “I think it’s time you experience what you should have on Krypton, don’t you ?” Her face is open and Kara can see she has an out if she decides not to go through with this — if she decides it’s too much too soon.

She may be used to the longing in her heart, but Kara isn’t used to satisfying her wants and needs — it’s clear in the way she kisses Alex on the cheek just a little longer than she should, or in the way her eyes search the sky for something she knows doesn’t exist anymore.

Still, if there’s one person she trusts, it’s the beautiful human standing before her with her hands in hers. “Yes,” she whispers, her voice cracking on the single word, and her cheeks tingle as a light flush spreads on her face.

Alex’s smile is still gentle and patient and she squeezes her sister’s hands. “So. What now ?”

* * *

Turns out, Kal-El’s pod was really Kal-El’s  _ Birthing Matrix.  _ Kara didn’t know because it wasn’t public knowledge and she never had enough courage to ask about his arrival on Earth, but Jor-El and Lara put their son in the Birthing Matrix because it was the most secure craft that could travel through hyperspace without a scratch.   
Kara doesn’t really know how she feels about this information because it’s not like it still works, not like she’d have a use for it anyway. Still, it’s something from Krypton, deeply cultural, something they all were born from — it’s something every Kryptonian knows about and thinks about at one point or another in their life. It’s a legacy.

It’s pretty dark; the room where the Birthing Matrix is, where intimate and secret Kryptonian artifacts are kept. There’s this heavy weight pressing on both sisters when they walk through the invisible door, this gravity that hovers above them like a thick pressure that keeps them still for a long moment.

Until Alex breathes,  _ “Wow,”  _ that is.

Unbidden, a smile makes its way across Kara’s face and she tugs lightly at the brunette’s hand. “Yeah.” There’s a frown as a thought comes to mind. “Come to think of it, I’ve never really looked at it.” There’s a flutter in her chest as she thinks about it, thinks about the machine she and Kal-El came from; thinks about sharing this with Alex. “Come on,” she whispers without looking at her sister, gently pulling her along as she makes her way across the room.

There’s a soft pressure on the blonde’s fingers as the agent squeezes — in support, in agreement or acknowledgment, she doesn’t know, but either way : she’s here. And that’s all that matters.

Alex’s human eyes strain to see in the dark lit room but she easily follows the Kryptonian, no doubt that she won’t let her trip over anything; not even her own feet. It’s even more impressive up close, and both women stop breathing upon seeing the Birthing Matrix in all its glory.   
There’s a low light inside through the glass, coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time — as if hidden — and it’s around ten feet tall if Alex’s right. It’s not too narrow, two bodies easily fitting in the empty space, and the DEO agent can already feel herself relax just at the sight.

“Reminds me of a spa,” she blurts out without thinking, and she mentally grimaces because — what if it’s offensive, what if— 

But Kara snorts next to her, the sound lazy and quiet, and the fingers between her own shift just a bit as the Kryptonian steps closer to it. “That’s kind of the same feeling, yes.” Her free hand ghosts the glass with something close to reverence and melancholy. “I’ve never seen it this close,” she admits in a breath, her eyes not missing a single detail of the tall and heavy device in front of her.

She only hesitates a second before asking, “How come ?” her tone soft and patient.

“I was too young,” Kara answers easily with a slight shrug. She waits a beat before continuing, still keeping her gaze locked on the Birthing Matrix. “As I’ve said, some did it before Nova Cycle, but it was mostly for married couples. On Krypton, love was…”  _ Scarce.  _ “Optional,” she settles on. “It wasn’t a priority like it is on Earth.” She gulps without a sound as memories about a flawed culture flood her brain, her mind, her heart, her throat — still, it was home and all she ever knew before arriving on Earth. “Most marriages were arranged to ensure the continuance of Houses, but family was still important. They wanted kids to grow within a safe and—”  _ loving,  _ “caring environment. It was born from the need to give children what they desired, what they needed.”  _ It was beautiful,  _ she thinks with a cheerless smile.

“It’s beautiful,” Alex murmurs next to her. Kara snaps her head toward her so quickly that her hair almost slaps the brunette in the face. “What ?” she mumbles, suddenly shy with clear, blue eyes on her. “It’s true.”

“Nothing, just…” The blonde shakes her head with pleasantly surprised smile as she tightens her hold around Alex’s fingers for a moment. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

The agent’s cheeks redden in the dark room and she ducks her head as she halfheartedly bumps her shoulder with Kara’s. “That’s because we’re smart women,” she jokes with a twinkle in her eye as her hair moves enough for the blonde to see hazel in the midst of shy red and beautiful auburn. 

“Says the scientist to the assistant,” Kara retorts with an eye roll, but an amused smile tugs at her lips and she keeps her sister close to her as the woman makes a move to put distance between them again.

Comfortably leaning on the Kryptonian, Alex lets out a small snort as she lets her head lay on a broad shoulder. “Like you’re not smarter than any of us,” she scoffs. With her head against steel, she hears rumbling through Kara’s body as she lets out a discontent noise and Alex can’t stop the low chuckle that bubbles up in her chest. “Yeah, that’s right. Don’t forget that I know you like the back of my hand.” The threat in her words is greatly undermined by the gentleness in her voice and adoration in her eyes — and in her smile and the softness of her touch and her slow heartbeat and— she can go on for a long while.

Kara hums non-committedly but the light blush on her cheeks betrays her delight at her sister’s words.  _ “Anyway,”  _ she says, openly changing the subject — away from accidental confessions and telling blushes, “it helped the couple feel closer. It didn’t make them fall in love but there was this… intimacy between them after that, a confidence that only exists between deeply bonded people.” She pauses, slowly and gently lets her head rest on Alex’s, and the brunette rubs her thumb over knuckles. “The actual Birthing Matrix doesn’t work anymore,” she says, “and I know it’s for couples but... I’ve always wanted to try it with someone.” Her voice falls into melancholia and there’s a sad, shuddering smile playing on her dark lit face. “It’s stupid,” she mumbles suddenly, self-deprecatingly and almost angrily as she shakes her head furiously and takes a step back. “This is not my place, we’re not even on Krypton anymore,” she spits and her gaze won’t leave the floor even when Alex tugs at her hands. “No, you know what ? Let’s just— let’s just go home and watch TV.”

The blonde stares at her feet, the red boots almost a too bright contrast with the darkness and the light blue of the room. “Kara.” The murmur is so soft and so patient and there’s kindness radiating from it and the Kryptonian can’t help but meet her sister’s eyes. There’s a light touch on her cheek and she realizes Alex freed one of her hands to graze her soft skin. “It’s okay to just…” She gnaws at her lower lip for a second, searching for the right words. “To let yourself  _ want  _ for once. It’s right there,” she says, tilting her head toward the device. “There’s no one who’ll judge you for it. It’s  _ yours,”  _ she pushes, steel in her eyes and determination in her voice, “and you can do whatever you want with your world’s legacy— your  _ parents’.”  _

“It’s Kal’s,” Kara mumbles halfheartedly, her eyes growing hesitant as Alex’s hand stays soft on her cheek. “I don’t know,” she whispers, gaze going back to the floor. “I’m not sure I’m…” She trails off, her voice shaky and quiet and it makes Alex frown.

“What ?” The agent lets her hand push some blonde hair behind her sister’s ear and absentmindedly rubs comforting patterns on her cheekbone with her thumb.

Unconsciously, Kara leans into the touch and closes her eyes, even if her expression is still pained — anguished.  _ “Worthy,”  _ she breathes out, and it’s like she chokes on the words, and when she opens her eyes again there are tears waiting to fall.

But Alex is not having any of it. “Hey,” she whispers, but the tone is firm and demands attention; as do both of her hands around Kara’s jaw. “Don’t say that,” she almost snaps, but reigns it in just enough not to appear angry — just personally offended; “Of  _ course  _ you’re worthy, more than !” The blonde opens her mouth with her eyebrows scrunched up but Alex beats her to it. “And don’t think for a second that Clark is somehow more worthy of it, because he isn’t. You know as well as I do that owning something doesn’t mean it’s yours. Look at the facts, Kara.”

The Kryptonians shifts on her feet but is listening to the brunette. “What facts ?” she mumbles, doesn’t even react when her voice breaks on every word. 

Alex sighs but there’s empathy in her eyes, and patience. She’s always so patient with her it almost hurts. “Clark might have come aboard the Birthing Matrix, he might have kept it during all those years and hasn’t said a single word about it to you,” she’s seething, she knows, but a look into blue eyes and she’s centered again, “but it’s  _ yours  _ too, Kara. It’s not just a pod, it’s Kryptonian and…” She huffs, almost wants to tap her foot in frustration because she’s not exactly sure how to express herself. “Look. Clark knows what Kelex told him. He knows just enough to get by and not even enough to have a conversation with you in Kryptonese.”

Kara looks pained at the reminder, and her gaze drops once again. “But…”

“I’m not attacking him,” Alex is quick to interrupt. “I’m not. I’m just saying… It’s not the same for him. It’s some… distant concept in his head, something he doesn’t have memories of — and that’s not his fault. But you…” Her voice gets softer then, her thumb subtly wiping a stray tear on her sister’s cheek. “You lived it. You were there and you were a part of it.” She pauses and gives the blonde a gentle smile. “You have the right to experience what you should have back there,” she says with determination and Kara can see that her sister wholly believes it. “And it’s not because you do it that Clark can’t as well. You’re not taking anything from him.”

Kara’s features seem to slacken at her words as she relaxes, her shoulders dropping as she returns the brunette’s smile with a small one of her own. “Yeah…”

Alex knows her sister, knows the guilt she carries around for a world she would have never been able to save, for missing out on raising her baby cousin because she was stuck in an endless nightmare. So she knows that Kara feels guilt more strongly than any other emotion — although it might be a tie with love, her eyes shining with adoration and something deeper when she looks at Alex, or how her smile gets a little wobbly at game night when all of her friends are chatting and laughing happily.

So she knows that Kara’s first instinct when doing something for herself is feeling guilty. “We can ask him if you want,” she offers, knowing the suggestion only would appease her sister’s worries — maybe not enough for her to go through with it, but hopefully enough to shake those tears away. “See if he’s okay with it.” Kara’s smile is enough to tell her that she succeeded and her relieved grin makes the blonde smile even wider. “But he’d tell you the same thing I did.”

“No,” she says, shaking her head a little as her eyes crinkle with the same glint of adoration Alex is so used to seeing in blue eyes, “it’s okay. You’re right.”

She wants to scoff, make a show out of it, but it only comes out as a sharp exhale. “Of course I’m right, I’m always right. Don’t you know that by now ?” she asks haughtily with a raised eyebrow, but there’s a hint of a pleased grin in there that makes Kara’s cheek grow pink.

“Yeah, yeah. Side effects of being a Danvers, right ?” Kara retorts but, unlike her sister, she doesn’t bother hiding the happiness that, she knows, is plain to see on her face.

_ “Side effe—”  _ Alex blurts out with a surprised laugh, loud and warm, and her hand grips Kara’s shoulder to steady herself. “Being a Danvers isn’t a  _ disease,  _ thank you very much,” she scoffs out with a chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief.

The brunette’s hand moves along with Kara as the Kryptonian shrugs easily, that stupid happy grin on her happy face. “I’m just saying, it’s a heavy burden for all Danvers to wear.” She pauses, raises her eyebrows as she dips her head a little but keep her eyes on Alex’s. “I should know because I’m also always right.”

That’s enough to make Alex laugh again and push Kara’s shoulder in the process, but the blonde traps her sister’s hand under hers and holds tight as she laughs along with her. As she sways on her side because  _ someone  _ is putting all of their weight on the Kryptonian, Kara bumps into the Birthing Matrix and she’s quick to check if she’s broken something.

“Woops,” she mumbles sheepishly with a grimace, but sighs in relief as she sees that it doesn’t have a scratch on it.

“Dork,” she chuckles with a fond eye roll before slipping her left arm around Kara’s waist so they’re facing the machine. The noise dies down as they just stand and stare at it with matching thoughtful expressions.

Alex can feel the blonde shift under her arm but doesn’t comment on the fidgetiness, knows her sister will speak up eventually. And she does. “Are you sure you want to do the ritual with me ?” she asks, her voice shy and, again, hesitant.

“Of course,” the agent is quick to reassure her with a warm and loving smile, her hold tightening around the blonde’s waist. “I’m here for you, always.” It’s a promise she’s made several times, and she has yet to break it. “So…” It’s Alex’s turn to fidget now, her fingers playing with the loop of her pants and her teeth chewing on the inside of her cheek. “What do we do exactly ?”

And it’s like a switch has turned on — or off. The blonde woman isn’t Kara Danvers anymore, she’s Kara Zor-El and she’s fully Kryptonian again. She’s lightyears away, she’s without superpowers but not powerless, she’s from a mighty House and the rightful heir. 

She’s Kara Zor-El from Krypton and honors her world’s culture and rituals.

She has that faraway look, that stillness that looks so odd on someone who’s constantly moving and shifting and fidgeting. She stands tall, as she does as Supergirl, but there’s a genuineness she doesn’t have when she has her cape on — a real sense of belonging, not pretending to as she grasps at humans to save them from harm.

She sets her chin high and she’s fully Kryptonian as she speaks, a shadow of a forgotten accent lacing her words. “It’s about forming bonds,” she begins, and Alex can only stand there and watch in something like wonder, “and Krypton has— had this harmony with nature.” She doesn’t let her slip stop her, and Alex has to consciously force herself to not reach out. “Water, especially.” Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, it’s sad as she thinks of something from decades ago. “I don’t know if they didn’t know why it was happening or if they were ignoring it or trying to work on a solution in secret, but Krypton’s…  _ decline  _ poisoned the water. I think it was because the core of the planet was affected the most and it radiated from there.” She shakes her head, a motion quick and small, before she focuses on her words again. “Anyway. Kryptonians are pretty material people; they hang on to artifacts, signs, symbols…” She gives her sister half a smile as her hand automatically goes to her mother’s necklace. “And so water became really important for us.” Alex has to bite her lip so she doesn’t tease the Kryptonian about her younger self stealing the bathroom. Like before, the move is almost reverent — and maybe it is — as Kara puts her hand on the glass of the Birthing Matrix. “And that’s where the ritual came from,” she says, looking at Alex.

Who frowns. “That… doesn’t really tell me what this ritual is,” she says hesitantly, because if Kara has explained everything about it, she still missed the most important part — the actual process.

The smile is tender, the gaze old and alien. “Come.” 

The blonde’s hand gently takes Alex’s just to take a step around the device and waits for her sister to look at what she’s touching with her other hand. There’s a switch on the side and Kara flips it, her sister’s eyes on her. The Birthing Matrix comes to life, buzzing with a low, dull sound, and Alex watches with wide eyes as the lights inside turn darker.

She still starts when the buzzing starts and steps closer because it suspiciously looks like— “Does the Birthing Matrix still work ?”

Alex doesn’t startle when Kara speaks right next to her, still as silent in her movements as she gets when she lets her Kryptonian side out. “Technically. The machine, as you can see, works.” Her words are polite, almost politician-like, and it makes Alex think about the first days after Kara’s arrival on Earth. “But its purpose can’t be achieved anymore. It stayed too long without power, without being used. Luckily, the process of conceiving a child required the same essentials for the ritual.”

She can’t stop herself from raising her eyebrows at her sister. “Having a child is the same as doing the ritual ?” Her voice stays neutral, doesn’t want to make Kara run away when they’ve got this far, but this was getting a bit confusing for her.

“No,” Kara murmurs with a smile. “I merely meant that the shape of it and the way water is already included in the process is all that is needed for the ritual. For the Birthing Matrix to finish its process, it would need to take a sample of the donor but that’s not possible anymore.”

“Right.” The explanation makes sense and Alex is nodding along. “Okay.” She blows out a breath and faces her sister. Kara smiles at her and undoes her cape, gracefully letting it fall on the floor. Alex frown’s disappear as her eyebrows raise to her hairline when her sister starts to unzip her suit. “Wh— What are you doing ?” She has half a mind to stop her but she’s frozen in place, looking at the blonde who’s just lazily stripping in front of her.

The Kryptonian only pauses for a second before resuming what she was doing and making eye contact through it all. “Skin contact is primordial for the bond to deepen,” she casually informs her frozen sister, still staring.

Kara’s top is off as well now, hanging from her waist as the belt keeps it in place, and she turns her upper half to unzip the zipper on the side of her skirt. There’s only a sports bra keeping her from being bare-chested and Alex feels the tip of her ears burn at the sight. She’s quick to avert her eyes but she can’t avert her hearing — the sounds of rustling and clothes dropping off on the ground are easily heard in the silence surrounding them; save for the humming of the Birthing Matrix.   
She shakes her head as she looks back up at Kara though. Her sister is currently undressing in front of her and doesn’t even appear to be aware of it; let alone mind it. Her sister, usually so shy if she forgot a button on a button up or if her shirt rides up when she stretches — that sister is gone and is replaced by someone who seems to think skin isn’t that big of a deal. 

And that means that this ritual goes beyond embarrassment, goes beyond stupid human shyness and limits. It’s something that Kara Zor-El, the Kryptonian, takes to heart and wants to share with her ignorant human. Alex doesn’t have time to be shy, doesn’t have time to get hung up on technicalities and human titles — she just has time to be there for Kara, like she promised.   
She’s quick to follow after that, ignores the way her teeth clatter when her skin finally gets in contact with the cold air, and strips down until she’s, after having checked by looking at Kara, in her underwear. The blonde wears a kind and understanding smile, like pieces of fabric were normally forbidden but she allows it anyway because she loves Alex and wants her to feel comfortable through it all.

She opens an arm and Alex readily falls into it, her body seeking the warmth and comfort only Kara can provide.

“Are you ready ?” The voice is more Kryptonian than human, low and rumbling in a body made of steel, and Alex shivers at the sound; makes a show of leaning closer to the source of warmth.

She looks up and falls into the sea of blue. “I’m ready,” she whispers, hoping it hides the way her voice trembles because of the cold.

The look Kara gives her is unworldly. It’s deep and piercing into her soul, it roots her on the spot but conveys so much devotion and love that Alex doesn’t mind. The Kryptonian stares at her for a moment longer before nodding. “Come on, then.”

The warm arm leaves freezing skin but only to take a shivering hand instead, leading Alex into the Birthing Matrix with slowness and tenderness. Kara steps in first and shifts until Alex has enough place to follow her — she’ll have to ask the blonde later how the invisible doors work here, how they open and close and decide what can go through and what cannot.   
There’s another switch inside and Kara flips it with practiced ease — even though she’s never used it before — and keeps eye contact as water starts to fill the receptacle. The DEO agent jumps with a yelp but Kara only has to put a comforting hand on her arm and she’s relaxed again, eyeing the water rise and rise.

“What’s the next step ?” Alex asks because even though she trusts Kara with her life, she’s still not a fan of being surrounded by water without an oxygen mask on.

Both women in their underwear, Kara steps closer to the brunette and puts her arms around her, placing her chin on top of Alex’s head; it’s tricky because Alex isn’t  _ that  _ small, but it still works somehow. “Now, we wait. The water will submerge us,” she explains with a smooth and calm voice, “and it will become the link that bonds our bodies; our souls.”

“What about the breathing part ?” Even though she’s still concerned and curious, she can’t help but sag against Kara, can’t stop her body from completely relaxing in the tight space they’re sharing.

She feels more than hears the blonde chuckle around her, her head shifting so her pointy chin isn’t on her head anymore; it’s a soft cheek now, and she feels her breaths against her skin. “Breathing isn’t what’s important.” The water is now at their calves and  _ wow, where  _ does  _ this water come from anyway _ , Alex wonders, because she didn’t see any tube connected to anything else outside of the machine. “Don’t worry about it.”

That’s not much of an explanation but Alex has a feeling that it’s going to be that way until the end. So she nods, her cheek rubbing against a clavicule, and patiently waits for the water to rise. It’s above their waists now.

She can feel emotions growing inside of her, can feel her heartbeat quicken but she doesn’t know why. She knows Kara feels it too, though, because the Kryptonian tightens her hold around her and Alex has to say, “I love you.” So she does.

And Kara doesn’t hesitate to respond, “I love you, too. So much.”

The agent can feel the blonde’s heartbeat beating against her ear, can feel its steadiness; even though Kara was so anxious about this before, even though she’s never done it. She’s glad to be there for her.

So she says, “I’m glad to be there for you. Glad you chose me.” And it’s true. So true it hurts. The water is at their chests now, and that’s where she feels a weight pressing down on her; something she’s always felt but never this heavily.

There’s a soft sigh against her temps and she can feel Kara smiling. “I didn’t choose you. You did.”

Alex untangles herself from the blonde and looks at her straight into her beautiful blue eyes. The water is almost at their faces now. “We chose each other,” she agrees.

The Kryptonian’s smile is almost too tender, too knowing and too trusting as she says, “We  _ choose  _ each other. Everyday.” That’s the most accurate thing she’s ever said, and the last thing she does before the water finally submerges them both before they have time to take a breath.

As secret agents do, Alex struggles at first. After instinctively closing her eyes, she opens them again and starts to move around, flaps her arms around, but Kara’s firm hands on her shoulders steady her. There’s a calmness on the blonde’s features, a peace Alex doesn’t think she’s ever seen, and blue eyes look up to show Alex that everything is alright. Following her gaze, the brunette sees that, indeed, the water doesn’t fill the entire tank and, if she chooses to do so, she can breathe above.   
That’s what makes Alex relax — Kara’s expression. The option of being able to breathe helps as well, of course, but she knows the Kryptonian wouldn’t let anything happen to her; not even for a Kryptonian ritual. So she stops struggling, stops moving altogether, and just watches the beautiful alien in front of her.

Blonde hair floats around languidly, and she has that half-lidded look she usually gets when she’s falling asleep. The light inside the device is so low that Alex doesn’t even know how she can see the lazy smile on Kara’s face, but she can; and it’s so soothing that Alex can feel one of her own forming on her face too.   
Her own hair tickles her skin but doesn’t pay any mind to the sensation. In fact, she doesn’t feel much at all except for  _ inside.  _ It’s like her body is numb but her heart is feeling this buzzing inside of her. And every time she moves a finger, the buzzing shifts; it’s like it’s trying to guide her.

It gets louder when her hand gets closer to Kara, the blonde watching her with something in her eyes she’s never seen, something hidden and old and guarded. Still, she doesn’t stop until her fingers reach Kara’s patient ones — stretched out in the middle of their bodies but waiting for Alex, like she knows what’s going on in the deepest part of her heart.   
The second their skin touch, the thrumming inside of her chest stops and it’s like everything settles. It’s like a storm that suddenly disappears to leave place to peace and calm and almost nothingness as the quiet tenderly envelops the whole place. It’s like every wall Alex has ever put on got broken down but she doesn’t even miss them.

The weight she felt at the beginning is gone now, the weight she’s carried most of her life has gone with the storm and only left behind a stillness she only feels when she looks at Kara. It’s a stillness as everything evaporates around her so her field of vision is only filled with light blue and long blonde hair; with loud laughter and crinkling eyes. 

The stillness suspiciously feels like love.

Their fingertips touching, Kara intertwines their fingers and just stares at Alex for what feels like an eternity but where time doesn’t pass either; it feels like Space, like the Phantom Zone — but it’s not a nightmare, it’s a dream that she’s sharing with Kara.

It’s intense and light and freeing and Alex is pretty sure she’s experiencing something that’s going to change her forever.

Their position changes only once when Kara reaches out and wraps the brunette in her arms, cheek to cheek, as they float without air in the water — but the curious scientist in her doesn’t have the presence of mind to wonder why, she’s too focused on being weightless and utterly free.   
She doesn’t know if she’s supposed to feel this way, this strongly, because Kara told her the couple didn’t fall in love after that — and she’s not sure she hasn’t. She would have denied it until her dying breath before, wouldn’t even have entertained the idea longer that it took to come to her mind, but now ? It’s different.  _ She  _ is different. Everything feels different and she briefly wonders if there’s something mixed in the water.

Kara doesn’t let her expression change thorough the whole process, her eyes still holding that same love and devotion they usually have during their quiet moments alone, but then Alex wonders if her own expression betrays what she feels inside. Whether it does or not, it’s not something she can worry about because she knows she can’t do anything to stop it either way.

And even if she could… Would she ?

She doesn’t have time to think about it — or maybe she does but she’s so focused on eyes so blue they border on grey that she doesn’t register time passing — and the next thing she knows she’s clothed again and standing in the Kryptonian’s arms.   
They share a long look, countless feelings flowing through their misty eyes, and then Kara is flying them home without another word.

That night, they’re closer than ever. They don’t pull apart at all until they each have to use the bathroom, immediately falling together on the bed in a tangle of limbs, quietly falling asleep with a peaceful expression.

* * *

It takes Kara a few days to fully go back to her Kara Danvers persona, to leave her Kryptonian one to the side as she pretends to be human again. It’s hard, watching the slow process.

Sometimes, Kara catches herself using odd turn of phrases humans usually don’t. Sometimes, it’s in the way she carries herself — with a little too much confidence; confidence that Kara Danvers shies away from, confidence that Supergirl only has a shadow of. Most of the time, it’s in the way she looks at people. The love and adoration is replaced by a coldness and distance that has Winn unconsciously take a step back the first time it happens. It’s not before he hesitantly calls her name that she shakes her head and smiles apologetically at him.   
But Alex sees it, sees the reluctance, sees what it costs to the Kryptonian to leave her roots and her own self behind to put on a show for humans. She’s back to hiding herself behind a non bulletproof mask, behind a vulnerable and weak facade when she’s anything but.

They still haven’t talked about the ritual, about the changes they both feel inside of them — and see in the other. But the closeness it brought them hasn’t faded, hasn’t stretched into awkwardness and silence until they both kept their distances; no, they’re stronger than ever now. Inseparable.

People even started to notice — which is saying a lot as they didn’t think two people could be as close as the two women were. Eventually, because Winn is… well,  _ Winn,  _ he can’t help himself.

“So… what’s happening here ?” he asks, pointing between the two figures on the couch, Kara practically on Alex’s lap.

Both Danvers look up from what the brunette was showing on her phone with a matching confusing expression. “What ?” Alex mumbles, because she has a hard time not completely melting when the blonde is so close to her.

There’s curiosity in the man’s eyes, suspicion even, and he leans forward where he’s sitting across from them. “You two seem… closer,” he settles on, but there’s no judgement in his tone, only a concern growing behind pinched eyebrows and pursed lips. “Is something going on ?”

Alex’s heart hammers in her chest for various reasons, not completely tensing against the Kryptonian but she still loses the tenderness in her expression. Kara, however, stays as relaxed and raises her eyebrows with the same smile she had when watching the picture on the agent’s phone just seconds ago. “What do you mean ?”

She’s so calm, so poised that Alex almost wonders if she’s imagined this  _ thing  _ between them, but quickly throws the negative thoughts out of her head. It’s  _ Kara,  _ she hasn’t imagined anything.

Still, Winn pushes again instead of dismissing his feelings like he often does. “I mean you two look like something happened.” This time, Kara’s fingers twitch against Alex’s nape. “Is something going on ? Is— Are you…” he seems to hesitate, making the women only more on edge, before blurting out, “Is someone dying or something ?”

The blonde’s jaw slackens in surprise and she blinks twice before stammering a,  _ “What ?”  _ Alex is sure her face looks similar to the Kryptonian’s, the question so out of the blue and— and it makes no sense.

Winn shifts in his seat and his eyes are almost pleading, eyebrows scrunched up in something resembling anguish. “It’s just— Well, remember that time when you sacrificed yourself ?” he asks, eyes on the blonde. “You went around saying your goodbyes and all and… well, it kinda feels like that right now ?” His self-consciousness and hesitance who in his rising tone, in the way he asks instead of says, and his wriggling fingers in front of him betray the fear he hides beneath it all.

Kara’s expression softens and, although it’s too be anticipated when approaching this topic, a bit of her Kryptonian self comes through in the way her eyes look centuries old and how she stills completely next to Alex. “No,” she murmurs with what she hopes to be a reassuring smile. “I just… Well, as you’ve said, we never know how much we got left, right ? So I’m trying to make the most of it.” Her smile looks more real then, or maybe just more human, as she pulls on Alex’s nape just enough to plant a kiss on her temple. “But don’t worry, no one has any intention of self-sacrificing in the near future,” she promises, blue shining with honesty and love.

Tension slipping from his hunched shoulders, Winn almost slumps on the coffee table in relief. “Oh, okay.  _ Phew,”  _ he chuckles breathlessly, color slowly returning to his pale cheeks. “That’s good. Well,” he adds with a frown and squinted eyes, “if that’s the case, where’s  _ my  _ hug ? Or am I not good enough compared to the mighty DEO Agent Dan—”

He barely holds back a yelp when Kara is suddenly all around him, her long arms holding him tightly and securely against her as she laughs next to his ear. Alex feels cold all of a sudden without Kryptonian warmth wrapping her, but the brief shiver she feels through her body is worth the sight in front of her.   
There’s a soft smile on her face as Kara rocks her best friend from side to side as they embrace, Winn’s eyes squeezed shut and arms straining around the blonde as he holds her as tightly as he can. It’s so… loving.  _ Family,  _ immediately comes to mind, and she knows she wouldn’t trade any of her experiences for anything in the world because everything has led her to this moment and it’s perfect.

* * *

“What are you doing ?”

Kara’s voice is tight, her cape fluttering behind her as she walks in Alex’s lab without so much as a knock, and her eyes zero in on the tube filled with red liquid in the brunette’s hand. The agent looks up and cleans the inside of her elbow with a gauze and swiftly slaps tape around it.

“Blood test,” she sighs tiredly, rubbing her forehead as she glares at the glass tube. “I’ve been feeling weird lately, so just making sure.” She shrugs with her signature grin at the blonde. “It’s the scientist in me, I guess.”

The explanation makes sense and isn’t that worrying but Kara still wraps the brunette into her arms, squeezing possessively as she plants a kiss on her head. “You haven’t been feeling well ?” She feels a bit left out, hidden from, and it translates as a whine in her voice.

Sensing Kara’s insecurity, Alex squeezes back before rubbing the superhero’s back. “It’s not anything concerning. To be honest, I take blood tests more often than I should. It’s just a habit at this point.” She pulls back so she can gaze into the ocean she sees everytime she looks at the blonde’s eyes and softly puts her hand on Supergirl’s cheek. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing.” 

The agent’s hand is replaced by a swift kiss before she pulls away, a reassuring smile in place in contrast with Kara’s worried one. “If it’s nothing, you’re okay with me staying here until you get the results then, right ?”

Back to the blonde, Alex doesn’t even turn to face her as she says, “Kara, it’s nothing. You worry too much.” The eye roll is evident in her tone and the Kryptonian huffs. “Go do Supergirl things, I’m  _ fine,”  _ she insists as she finally looks at her.

Crossing her arms, Kara levels the agent with a blank look. “‘Fine’. You wouldn’t take a blood test if you were ‘fine’,” she retorts. She’s all taut muscles and pursed lips but her shoulders slumps after she sighs and walks up to the brunette, worry obvious in blue eyes. “What’s wrong ?”

Alex’s smile doesn’t waver and it does a lot to appease some of the superhero’s concerns. “I’ve been feeling a bit queasy, that’s all. Just in the mornings and—” She stops, mouth still open, and blinks before frowning. “No, that’s not…” She shakes her head with an amused chuckle, cheeks flushing a little. “What am I even— it must be stomach flu or something.”

Eyebrows furrowed, Kara pouts as she doesn’t follow Alex’s line of thought. “What ?”

With another chuckle, the agent shakes her head again. “Nothing, just for a second I thought I was preg—”

“Supergirl, we have a situation,” J’onn’s booming voice echoes in Alex’s lab and the agent startles at the sudden interruption.

Kara keeps watching Alex for a few seconds with an unreadable expression, eyes searching, before reluctantly looking at J’onn. “Yes ?” Her tone is gentle and calm but Alex can feel the tension in her body, the hands too still in hers and the way the blue of her eyes doesn’t shine like it usually does.

The sight isn’t all that odd, the two women holding hands in an intimate embrace, but even if he can’t read Kryptonians’ minds J’onn can still detect when something is bothering the young blonde. Still, they don’t have time for personal crisis right now and he gets right to the point. “We have an alien loose in the city who’s apparently bent on destroying everything he touches.” Kara is already focused on the mission, listening to the situation with a serious expression. “We have a team already there but he looks lost and confused, I thought you might want to try to talk to him.” He shakes his head, hands on his hips. “I don’t think he means to hurt anyone.”

Supergirl barely has time to look at Alex again, ready to tell her she would be right back, before the woman beats her to it. “Do you need help ?” she asks, but it’s the tone she uses when it’s not a question she wants an answer to, when she already decided that she was going. 

“No, no !” Kara is quick to stop her before she even takes a step. “No, there’s already backup and I’m sure it won’t take long. See, it’s all getting taken care of, no need for you to suit up and everything,” she reasons with a smile. 

“But—”

“Kara’s right,” J’onn intervenes, and Alex hates him just a little bit for siding with the blonde. “He’s not all that strong, we can apprehend him easily but I’d rather avoid an arrest if there’s no need for it.”

“See ?” Kara says with a big grin on her face, already hushering the agent toward the medical bed — for no apparent reason — with two hands on her shoulders. “So just… Go and do your thing. And when I come back, you can tell me that you’re not— that you— that you’re fine !”

Eyes squinted and eyebrow raised, Alex looks at the blonde with a hint of an amused smirk. “You alright there ?”

“Whatever,” she mumbles, her eyes crinkling with mirth — and something else — like they always do with Alex. “You stay safe here while I go take care of it.” And with an awkward pat on the shoulder, she steps out of the lab with J’onn hot on her heels, leaving a dumbfounded Alex behind — since when is Kara awkward with her ?

The brunette scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest, shaking her head at the Kryptonian’s antics. “Unbelievable,” she grumbles to herself and jumps when someone suddenly flicks her ear.

“Heard that,” is laughed right next to her and the light pain is quickly erased by a quick kiss on her cheek before Kara is zooming out of the room again. 

Her skin feels hot where the blonde’s lips were just a second ago and, even though she’s alone, Alex still lowers her head to hide behind a curtain of hair in the empty lab. She can't hold back a goofy grin but still tries to focus on the task at hand — quite literally as she's holding a tube of her own blood she has to analyze. 

She thinks back to Kara’s reaction when she, for a second, thought she was pregnant. Even though it’s not possible as she hasn’t been with anyone for months, it’s always the first thing that comes to mind with symptoms like hers.   
Still, she hadn’t expected for Kara to freeze like that, to look at her as  _ intensely  _ as she did. It unsettled her because she hadn’t reacted like a woman finding out her sister was pregnant. No, she had reacted like a woman finding out her— 

She shakes the line of thought out of her head, choosing to focus on her work instead.

* * *

“I’m glad we were able to talk him down,” J’onn sighs next to Supergirl, watching as his team guides the alien into one of their vehicles to take him to the DEO. The blonde only hums in response and the Martian looks at her with squinted eyes. “I’m sure we’ll find something to help him back at the DEO,” he continues, still staring at Kara and waiting for an actual reaction.

“That’s for sure,” the Kryptonian murmurs distractedly, staring at nothing.

J’onn waits another couple of seconds before shifting until he stands right before her, a concerned expression clouding his face. “Kara, are you alright ?” he tentatively asks, a warm hand on her shoulder. 

Supergirl blinks once, then twice until her gaze focuses back on the man. “What ?”

His concern is obvious in his furrowed eyebrows and caring look. “You seem distracted,” he explains kindly, fingers lightly squeezing her shoulder in silent support. “Is it Alex ?” He knows he shouldn’t intrude but he can’t help it, they’re his family now.

Kara looks surprised and opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes out. “It’s nothing,” she eventually says — lies, as the crinkle between her eyebrows betrays — with a forced smile. “Just— I’ve been thinking, that’s all.” 

It’s not a lie.

Alex almost saying that she thought she was pregnant ? It had put things into perspective for the blonde and she hadn’t been able to think of much else since, even had to switch languages twice before remembering the alien’s native one; something that wouldn’t have happened if she had her head on straight.   
She never thought about it, about her foster sister getting pregnant. Her reaction suggested that it was impossible, meaning she hadn’t been hiding a secret boyfriend behind Kara’s back but the idea of it… It unsettled her more than she could have imagined and doesn’t know what she wants to do with the fact that it made her feel so…  _ weird.  _

“Well…” J’onn’s voice brings her out of the storm in her mind —  _ again.  _ “If you need to talk about it, I’m here for you.” It’s to be expected but it still warms her heart to have him so supportive and loving like this.

“Thank you,” she whispers gratefully because with her mind as blank as it is, she doesn't think she can manage more than that. She clears her throat and looks toward the alien. “Do you need my help with that ?”

J’onn is already shaking his head with a warm expression. “No, you can go on ahead. I'll meet you back at the DEO.” He has a knowing smile, as if he knew she wouldn't be able to  _ not  _ go back to Alex. At this point, “DEO” is code for “Alex” and Kara is more than fine with that. 

“Thanks.” And with that, she's in the air and flying back to the human who grounds her more than anything else; to the human who understands and loves her more than anyone else. To Alex. 

She doesn't hurry, not exactly. She still passes several birds but doesn't go as fast as she usually does after a mission — this one was easy and ended on a positive note.    
No, she takes her time to try and think everything through. Usually, when something  _ odd  _ happened, her mind would be whirling with thoughts and possibilities and doubts and different scenarios. 

This time, though ? This time, it's like she can't think. About anything. It's blank, frustratingly empty as she tries to think about how she feels and  _ why.  _ It's like it's something so… different, something she's never felt before that she can't even name it.   
She thinks it's okay though, because Alex is by her side and knows she can count on her beloved rebellious DEO agent to help her sort this through. 

All too soon, way before she can make sense of her emotions, her feet gently touch the DEO balcony and she's walking toward the hub. Winn is still there, even though it's the weekend, and he whirls around when he hears her cape fluttering as she walks. 

“Hey, Kar’,” he greets her with a small wave and his ever present goofy smile. “Easy peasy for Supergirl, right ?” 

It's almost a brag,  _ for  _ her, and the smile comes easily this time without her having to force it. “Yeah, he just arrived on Earth and was just confused about everything,” she explains, a hint of pain in her voice as she thinks about all the aliens having to go through the transition all alone — no surprise a lot of them ended up in the DEO prison. “J’onn offered to help him.” And warmth comes back on her face. “I'd like to help aliens who are alone on Earth, teach them as Alex and Eliza did for me.” 

It's something she's been thinking a lot, trying to give the right tools to newcomers so they can have everything they need to start a new life after destruction and death. It's not easy of course, distinguishing the bad from the lost, but she knows that if she helps even only one then it would have been worth it. 

“That's actually a great idea,” Winn whispers mostly to himself, absentmindedly fidgeting with the end of his tie. “I bet they'd be grateful and would want to help in return. And if the DEO can offer them jobs…” 

Kara isn't sure she's comfortable with helping them just so they could help them back but it  _ would  _ be great — for non human passing aliens, a job at the DEO would be perfect for them. There were many jobs here, and most humans just wanted to be on the field; the Kryptonian thinks that most of the aliens would want to remain as far away from conflicts and loss as possible. 

“We're not saving them just to use them, Agent Schott,” J’onn’s voice rings out behind them and Winn jumps in his seat. 

“Jeez,” he breathes with a glare, hand over his heart. “Okay, I didn't say  _ that,”  _ the agent objects as he wills his hands to stop shaking. “Just that it would be— you know, a nice bonus.”

The Martian hums lowly as he squints at the man, Kara hiding her grin behind her hand — she knows he's teasing him but seeing Winn fret like that is absolutely worth it. 

Her smile disappears when she distantly hears _“What ?”_ brokenly breathed out somewhere in the DEO, and she's gone the next second, already super-speeding to the sound of the voice, because she knows it too well not to. Red boots slide on the floor as Supergirl arrives too fast but stops herself with a firm hand on the doorway and her wild eyes find Alex.  
The brunette stands alone in her lab, staring at a sheet of paper crumpled between her hands. Between the time she stops and the time Alex actually notices her, the DEO agent looks frozen and dumbfounded by whatever is on that paper.

She does startles so hard that her hand automatically goes to her holster and tears the sheet without meaning to, the sound of tearing loud in the too quiet room — and it sounds like something bigger than a piece of paper ripping, something deeper. Kara can hear the pounding of the brunette’s heart; it’s fast and hard and it sounds almost painful — soon, her own heart matches hers because what can possibly cause such a reaction from the usually so poised Agent Alex Danvers ?

“Alex, what is it ?” the Kryptonian asks, dread sizing up her throat and making her sound breathless.

There’s deafening silence for a few, never-ending seconds, and then J’onn silently arrives behind Kara; but neither of the women notice him, both too focused on something else. Winn is also hurrying but his human pace makes him get there out of breath and right in time for everyone to hear Alex’s flat words.

“I’m pregnant.”

If Kara thought the silence was deafening before, it was nothing compared to this one. It’s shorter but feels so loud that an image of the Phantom Zone flashes through her mind.

“What ?” Winn’s gasp breaks the silence and Kara blinks away blackness and nothingness. 

Alex’s voice is as emotionless as her face and it chills Kara more than her words do. “I’m pregnant,” she says again, as a fact and not like a life-changing reality.

For a moment, Alex feels almost Kryptonian — standing too still, not letting anything she’s thinking show on her face — and then it’s gone as Kara’s hearing picks up on tremors coming from the brunette’s chest; too low for humans to hear. 

She’s at her side the next second, reaching but not quite touching; she knows when to give her space. “Alex ?” Kara’s voice is a whisper, quiet and scared.

“I…” The agent can’t seem to find words and she’s blinking way too many times for it to be anything but shock. “I’m— I’m— I can’t—  _ How ?”  _ She’s breathing fast now, and she’s holding on to the superhero’s forearm for stability when nothing is anymore. “I mean, I can’t…” She shakes her head, like nothing makes sense, but her eyes are still glued to the piece of shredded paper in her trembling hands. 

Everyone stays quiet, J’onn and Winn because they have no idea what to say, and Kara because she knows Alex just needs a moment to process. Eventually, Alex looks up at Kara with pleading eyes and there’s so much depth, so many emotions whirling with hazel; the most obvious is fear. Kara just isn’t sure it’s about the discovery because Alex looks at her like she’s waiting for the blonde to scream or storm out of the room — or throw  _ her  _ out.   
The dread is what makes Kara move, what makes her remember how to use her muscles as she wraps the brunette into a tight hug, the paper rustling as Alex’s hands are trapped between their bodies. The tension in lean muscles starts to evaporate at the same time as her sobs come out, body shaking and tears rolling down flushed cheeks.

“It’s okay,” Kara whispers, tightening her hold around a shaking Alex and burrows her face into her neck, trying to get as much skin contact as she can; knows it grounds Alex in times of need. “We’re going to figure it out,” she promises, and even though she knows it’s going to be hard, she also knows that they  _ are  _ going to figure it out. “I’m here.” This one’s easy, it’s almost like saying  _ “I’m breathing,”  _ it’s a big fat  _ duh.  _

But Alex’s head is shaking against a body made of steel and her hands are pushing the Kryptonian away; that’s a first. Surprised and compliant, Kara lets go of the woman and looks at her with concern clouding her eyes. “No,” Alex breathes out, her head still shaking — her hands are as well, but she hides them behind her back. “No, it’s not— it’s  _ not.  _ I haven’t been with anyone… I can’t be.”

“Alex…” Kara reaches out again but lets her hand go limp at her side when the agent takes a step back.

“No,” she snaps, the word almost losing its meaning because of how many times she’s said it by now. “Kara. I haven’t been with anyone.” The way she says it, the way her gaze bores into crystal blue suggests that it means something else; something more.

But Kara is still confused. “I…” She doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know what Alex is expecting from her. “What…?”

_ “Kara.”  _ She pauses with a meaningful look but when it looks like the blonde won’t get it after all, Alex gulps and sets her jaw. There’s a shadow over her face, something dark that has Kara’s heart beat a little faster. “The only thing— the  _ only  _ thing that’s happened recently that can be—”

“No.” It’s Kara’s turn this time, but it’s not harsh nor shaky; it’s steady and factual. “No, no, it doesn’t work anymore.”

Alex’s eyebrow raise is destabilizing enough without adding what she says next. “Have you actually asked Clark ?”

There’s a pregnant pause — pun intended — as the reality sinks in, as the impossible possibility makes its way into Kara’s brain and then… “Are you sure ?”

Alex’s gaze doesn’t leave the blonde’s face for a few seconds, and then she looks at the paper in her hand. “I’m almost positive,” she says, her voice low and broken. “The results… My levels wouldn’t be that high if it were human.”

“Wait, what ?” Winn’s voice rings out in the room but neither of the women pay attention to him, there’s only J’onn large hand on his shoulder as the only reaction.

Her mouth feels dry all of a sudden and she has to lick her lips so the words are audible. “So it’s— it’s…” Kara vaguely gestures with her hand and it’s pretty obvious what she means.

Another gulp and then Alex is nodding, still staring into the Kryptonian’s eyes. “Yes. I’m 98% sure.”

Kara’s body feels a little  _ too  _ Kryptonian as she freezes at the confirmation, but then she comes out of her daze and it’s like she’s been set alight from within. Her next move isn’t expected by anyone, not even by herself, but she’ll think back to this moment and think  _ “it makes sense.”  _

Closing the distance is easy. It’s as easy as breathing, an automatism that comes without thinking about it. It’s as easy as kissing Alex for the first time, the touch as soft as their relationship, as warm as their feelings for one another. It’s as easy as melting into it as the human kisses back without hesitation, as if they’ve been doing this — as if they’ve _ been  _ this — before.

It’s also easy to forget they aren’t alone in the room.  _ “What th—”  _

A dark hand clamps down over Winn’s mouth and J’onn is dragging them both out of the room as discreetly as possible, quietly closing the door behind them and leaving both women alone.

The kiss stays soft and warm, it stays loving and gentle. It’s like the next logical step for them, even though they hadn’t realized it, and it’s still them but  _ more.  _ The relationship stays unchanged, only gets deeper with another level of intimacy. It’s not that important, not as life-changing as the pregnancy, it’s just… natural.

It’s them.

* * *

“You know what…” James’ voice breaks the silence as he stares at Alex and Kara sitting across from him in the blonde’s living room. “It makes so much sense.” His expression is pure acceptance and understanding and loving and it’s enough to make the Kryptonian tear up a little.

Next to him, sitting on the couch, Lucy shifts a little and inconspicuously mumbles to Winn next to her, “called it.” And she had, even before the ritual, before some boundaries were gently pushed aside to make room for  _ more,  _ before Alex gave all of herself to follow into Kara’s Kryptonian footsteps.

The three friends are all sitting on the couch while Alex is on the armchair and Kara on the armrest, her arm casually on the back of the chair. They’ve called them to announce the change of status, the change in their relationship because, while it didn’t really change anything for both women, they knew their friends — family — needed to know.   
And also they wanted to share this information because, even though it felt like the most natural thing in the world, it was also the happiest they’ve ever been. And they knew the three dorks sitting across from them would think so too.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m so happy for you guys.” Winn sounds so genuine and his smile is so big that Alex can’t stop the loving look she gives him, not even when she tries. She knows Kara knows it too because then a warm hand slips from the back of her neck on to her shoulder and gently squeezes; it’s her way of saying how happy she is, how lucky they are.

Lucy leans forward, her forearms on her thighs, and she beams at them. “Me too. I’m so glad you’ve come to your senses.” 

It’s teasing and neither Alex or Kara react to it but it doesn’t feel like they’ve been dancing around the subject like everyone around them believe. There wasn’t a revelation, not shyness at confessing, they’ve just been happy the way they were before. Becoming romantically involved isn’t a step-up per say, it’s just a change that came naturally at this point of their relationship.   
They’ve talked about it and they don’t think they would have been ready for it before, because it would have happened if they had been. For them, they’re just best friends and partners and something deeper than soulmates. It’s not even a question.

So they don’t correct them, they don’t explain because they don’t see the use in it; as long as they know and understand each other, that’s all that matters.

The blonde’s expression matches Alex and her smile is soft and content. “Thanks, guys. It means a lot.”

J’onn comes back from the kitchen, a tray of drinks in his hands that he puts on the coffee table as he says, “I would like to say just how proud I am,” he starts, straightening himself and handing people their drinks. Alex’s nose scrunches up at hers, grimacing at the smell and the greenish —  _ healthy  _ as Kara calls it — color. “You’ve been through a lot and you’ve made it to the other side. Of course, it’s not over,” he says, sending them a meaningful look — they haven’t told everyone about the pregnancy yet, just J’onn and Winn, “but I have faith you’ll walk through the trials of life as you always have; together.”

He raises his drinks, followed by everyone else, and Alex hates to admit that she’s getting a little misty-eyed at this point. “Thanks,” she rasps, flushing at the sound of her emotional voice.

Kara doesn’t have a single problem with it though. “Thank you,” she almost sobs, a tear already rolling down her cheek as she stands up and hugs him.

Not surprised in the least, Alex lets out a watery chuckle as she smiles fondly at her family. She couldn’t have better people around her, supporting her and loving her, she can’t believe the chance she has to have met them, to have made them her found family. Not everyone can brag at having two families, having their parents plus—

_ “Crap !”  _ Alex gasps, startling everyone. She doesn’t mean to, doesn’t feel it, but her hand lets go of her drink as she sits upright and tenses. 

The glass never hits the ground, Kara quickly putting it back on the tray before crouching down next to the brunette, a reassuring hand on the woman’s knee. “What is it ? Alex ?”

She looks almost as shocked as when she found out she was pregnant and Kara can’t stop the dread sizing up her throat. “Mom.”

“What ?” And then it sinks in and,  _ “Oh.”  _ They haven’t told Eliza, about any of it. “Listen—”

“Oh god,” Alex mumbles, letting her head fall into her hands. “Oh god, oh god, oh god...”

“Listen, it’s going to be okay,” Kara insists, soothingly rubbing her hand up and down the brunette’s back.

“You don’t know that,” Alex shoots, her voice coming out strangled and scared.

“I do,” Kara is quick to reassure, her eyes kind and understanding. “Because she loves you,” she says, her voice so soft and quiet that Alex gets lost in it, “and she’d do anything for you.”

But it doesn’t seem to work as intended because the DEO agent purses her lips and frowns. “I don’t want to make her do something just because she loves me, I want her to be  _ okay  _ with it.”

And really, Kara doesn’t have much to say to that, so she just squeezes the brunette’s knee in support before tenderly cupping the woman’s cheek. “I know...” she murmurs, thumb rubbing the cheekbone. “I know.”

“I believe Eliza will rise to the occasion,” J’onn’s soothing voice rings out. His hand finds Alex’s shoulder and he squeezes. “She might do it because she loves you, but that’s how acceptance starts. You sometimes have to experience it personally to understand and, eventually, accept it.” Alex’s eyes are on J’onn’s and she’s hanging on his every word. “She loves you and Kara so much. Trust me, she doesn't care how but she just wants you to be happy.” His eyes find Kara’s.  _ “Both  _ if you,” he adds, as if he knows how insecure Kara still is about being the addition to the Danvers family, how she feels like she isn’t  _ really  _ family. His gaze softens and he puts his other hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “Push comes to shove, you’ll never be alone. Trust me on that.”

“He's right,” James chimes in, now standing next to the Martian. “Whatever happens, we're here for you guys.”

Lucy joins him and her smile is easy, as if she already knew how Eliza was going to react. “Always,” she agrees. “And if she has a problem with this, I can send her my dad. After a conversation with him, she'll realize just how lucky she is to have you guys as her family,” she jokes with a smirk, a playful glint in her eyes. 

On Kara’s left, Winn sits on the coffee table. “She's right. And if he weren't in federal prison, I'd send my dad as well to he could tell her what a disappointment I am for not, you know... murdering people with my genius.”

As usual, the man puts his friends’ needs in front of his own as he talks about the past, about the toughest moments in his life just to cheer them up. 

Grateful, Kara smiles at him and takes his hand. “Thank you.” She turns her head to look at J’onn, James and Lucy on her right. “Thank you all. I...” She shakes her head, tries to keep more tears from betraying her emotions but fails and her throat feels too tight to speak. 

Knowing her all too well, Alex grabs the Kryptonian’s other hand and squeezes. “I think she wanted to say that we're so,  _ so  _ lucky to have you here, supporting us. It's... It means so much to us.”

Alex never was the one with words — not when it didn't concern Kara anyway — but the fact that she made the effort to talk about her feelings like that ? 

Kara can't help herself and pushes forward just enough for her lips to softly touch the brunette’s for a brief second. She also can't help herself from saying, “I love you,” no matter how uncomfortable she knows Alex is about PDA; especially in front of friends—  _ family _ . 

Still, despite the flush from the neck up and people around, Alex smiles tenderly and whispers, “I love you too.”

There’s a moment where they’re just the two of them, connected by an intense gaze and thrumming heartbeats — alone but together; a moment when just the sight of the other is enough to make one bashfully smile for no reason other than happiness, a moment when— 

_ “Aww,”  _ Lucy cooes, tone teasing but expression so genuinely happy that even Alex can’t get mad.

Still. “Shut up,” the DEO agent shoots back for good measure, but there’s a hint of an embarrassed grin under a layer of a light blush. Kara thinks pink goes very well on the brunette’s skin and she sneaks another quick kiss — on the flushed cheek this time, chuckling, and the blush intensifies. It makes everyone laughs light-heartedly at Alex’s expense and she groans, letting her head fall back into her hands. “Stop teasing me,” she grumbles, voice muffled by her skin and it only makes them laugh harder.

And as Kara lovingly wraps her in a protective embrace, laughing along with everyone, Alex thinks that J’onn was right. She’ll never be alone.

* * *

“Am I missing something here ?”

Kara’s fond smile freezes on her face. Her hand is still wiping maple syrup off of Alex’s face while the latter shamelessly steals bits of food from Kara’s plate — and Kara  _ lets her.  _ All in all, it’s a rather odd image if for people who haven’t seen them in the last two months. A lot has changed.

Mouth full, Alex can only manage a muffled and messy, “No,” while Kara seems suddenly very interested when she only had eyes for the brunette next to her since the beginning of the meal.

They’re eating at Noonan’s, a familiar and casual place where they both feel at ease. They brought Eliza here for lunch, show them a part of their routine, before going home to actually  _ talk  _ to her. But who were they kidding ? The mother always found out everything. Even when a young Kara had made sure of hiding traces of her passage through the fridge.

Eliza hums thoughtfully but doesn’t take her eyes off from the girls, gaze focused and searching. “You look happy,” she eventually says, her voice soft and there’s understanding hiding behind a layer of warmth. “That’s all I want for you.”

It’s so honest and kind and warm that neither of them can help the urge to blurt out the truth.

“I’m—” Alex starts as Kara almost shouts, “We’re—” and they both stop to look at each other.

Eliza’s eyebrows are up to her hairline as she watches in fascination her daughter blush and stammer to the Kryptonian, “Maybe we should lead with— with your thing,” in a shy, nervous manner. 

Kara nods but her confidence seems to have left her along with Alex’s suggestion. “I— well,  _ we  _ would like to— to, you know... Um... Say that— that— well, first of all, you’re so amazing.” She’s rambling, she knows she is but she can’t help herself, can’t help the word vomit from coming out even though it’s such an important moment; especially for Alex. “And we love you,  _ so much,  _ and we know that’s not what you were expecting,” she continues, her gaze falling to the table as she nervously laughs and rights her glasses with her left hand.

The Danvers’ mother’s smile is kind and patient. “I always expect a ramble from you, sweetie,” she assures her with a hint of teasing, and it only makes Kara nervously chuckle again, her eyes not meeting the other blonde’s.

Under the table, Alex grabs the hero’s right hand and squeezes. “Breathe,” she orders in a whisper, tone mixed with half amusement and half dread.

“Right,” the blonde mumbles to herself, nodding, and she seems to get some of her confidence back as she looks resolute. It makes Eliza straighten in her seat, all ears. “Okay, so... You know how Alex has always been there for me,” she starts and even though it’s formulated as a question, it’s said as a fact. “And... I guess I never registered exactly how much that meant to me, even though I thought I did. And, well, I— I don’t know exactly when or how but it kind of became more and— and I guess physical ? But that’s not the reason why—”

Alex is quick to slap her hand over the blabbing monster’s mouth, but not quick enough; the damage’s done. Horrified, the certified secret agent looks at her mother with eyes so wide her irises are lost in a pool of white. Next to her, mouth effectively trapped shut, Kara seems to realize just what she’s just said to Alex’s mother as a fierce blush appears from her chest all the way up to her hair.

There’s a loaded silence where everyone tries to process what the heck just happened and, to the surprise of all, it’s Eliza who gets over it first. It does take her two full minutes, but it’s impressive nonetheless. “Well,” she says, a bit tightly, and she clears her throat. “I have to admit I did see it coming.” She pauses. “I mean, certainly not worded that way, but...” The playful raise of her eyebrow is enough to thaw the two frozen women sitting across from them.

“Wait, what ?  _ How ?”  _ Alex looks flabbergasted with her mouth agape and hand still lazily pushing against Kara’s face (who doesn’t make a move to shove it away, who seems to enjoy the contact despite everything).

Shrugging easily, Eliza smiles and love is reflected in her clear eyes. “I just... had a feeling ?” Even though she keeps her tone gentle, she can see the tension and fear in taut muscles and anxious lines on pinched faces. “It’s okay,” she assures them, looking at them in their eyes to convey as much honesty as she can. “Like I said, I just want you to be happy. And if that’s with each other then that’s just a bonus in my book.”

After a couple of seconds, Kara sighs so loudly that a few heads in the restaurant turn their way.  _ “Phew !”  _ she exclaims as she beams at Eliza. “I was so afraid I’ve messed everything up !” the Kryptonian exclaims, her whole body slackens and she relaxes back in her chair, obviously relieved.

“Of course not, honey.” The mother reaches across the table and puts a comforting hand on Kara’s. “I would have lived with less details but—”

“Okay !” It’s Alex’s turn to interrupt loudly, earning them a few more glares from the other patrons. “Let’s just— all forget about that part, deal ?”

The agent’s mother laughs, light and free, and some of the tightness in the girls’ shoulders drips away. “With pleasure.”

Red and chin to her chest, Kara mumbles, “I’m sorry,” to Alex, blonde hair hiding some of her blush but none of her love shining through her every pore.

“Doofus,” the brunette retorts with an eye roll, unable to hide her adoration from sneakily dripping from her voice.

The tension gone and stress released, Eliza mocks a wary expression as she stares at them. “Nothing else to add ?” she jokes.

Kara opens her mouth but Alex beats her to it. “I’m pregnant,” she blurts out, followed by a sheepish grimace but two sets of squared shoulders.

Well. Joke’s on her. “You— You what ?”

More determined and confident, Alex repeats herself. “I’m pregnant.”

There seems to be a lot of tense pauses today. “What... Okay,  _ that  _ I did not see coming,” the mother admits. Warily rubbing her forehead, Eliza takes the opportunity to down her glass of water. “Who—”

“It’s her fault !” Alex suddenly exclaims as she points at Kara, her finger dangerously close to blue eyes.

_ “Rude,”  _ Kara huffs with a scowl and crossed arms, although the glint in her eyes betrays her fondness. “And not entirely accurate.” 

Eliza just stares at them and, when she realizes they’re not going to elaborate, gives them a bewildered look. “Can someone please explain ?”

“Well, it’s all Kal’s fault, really,” the Kryptonian starts, looking like a professor teaching about some fascinating and unknown discovery. “He told me it was broken, that it didn’t work anymore, but he lied !”

“He didn’t  _ lie,”  _ Alex sighs, and it sounds like they’ve had this argument before.

Kara scoffs. “Fine. He fixed it and didn’t tell me, it’s worse !”

There’s the sound of a loud smacking when Alex slaps the blonde’s arm with an exasperated expression. “He kept it to himself because he wanted to conceive with Lois and surprise you,” she corrects. “Now, guess which one of you is more miserable right now.”

The grin is immediate, and so is the way Kara practically melts against the older blonde’s daughter. “Oh, definitely him.”

“You dork,” Alex says with a lazy smile and when her gaze shifts and her eyes meet her mother’s, she straightens up and clears her throat. “So, long story short, the Birth Matrix actually works and that was a surprise.”

It’s a lot to take in. A whole lot. A lifetime of lot and more.

But it’s her daughter and her adopted Kryptonian. It’s Alex and Kara, the two inseparables, happy despite everything. She’s not going to be the one raining on their parade just because she can’t process quickly enough.

And so, she gets over herself. She gets over herself, sees past judgement and mistakes to see effort and happiness. She sees battle scars and reunions, sees arguments and apologies. She sees a whole life, full of normal and adventures and— she couldn’t have dreamt for something better for the two people she loves the most on any planet.

So when she smiles at them, it’s not forced, it’s not despite their situation, it’s  _ because of  _ their situation and how they seem to glow from it.

“So, tell me how this works.”

Kara’s eyes light up and she launches into a detailed explanation. “Well, the Birthing Matrix takes a sample of the subject's diploid cells, it can split the cells into haploids and rearrange them in a new configuration. It’s so painless and noninvasive that we didn’t even feel it !”

She’ll ask about the details later, ask how it came to be and why. She’ll ask if they’re safe, if they need help or need advice; or even just her presence during this stressful time.

But for now, she settles for a scientific conversation with her two favorite nerds.

* * *

The living room is loud but warm and inviting. Kara’s place might be small, but it’s big enough to celebrate with their family; before the birth, they had decided with Alex it would be for the best to get a new, bigger place. It hadn’t been easy with Alex’s secret government job and little free time they had, so they had to wait until the baby was born to take days off and find something.

They were now all saying goodbye to Kara’s warm, cozy apartment. 

Winn’s shouts are drowned out by Kaleb‘s happy yelps and laughter, but J’onn’s soothing voice still booms in the small space. “Don’t drop him, Agent Schott.”

The man huffs and settles the baby against his hip, as if he was an experienced father of three and not just a family friend occasionally dropping by. “Please, who do you think I am ?”

From the couch, her back to the men in the living room, Alex doesn’t even turn around as she says, “You dropped him last week.” Her voice is flat but, as he can’t see her, she’s smirking.

“Oh, come on, it was on purpose !” he defends, tightening his hold around the little boy in his arms. His dark hair and clear eyes make him one of the cutest babies ever, and that’s not because everyone is totally biased. “It was so he could bounce on the bed !”

“I don’t think the goal was for him to bounce from the bed and onto the  _ floor,”  _ she retorts, the eyebrow raised clear in her tone. “You’re still alive because Kara caught him. And because she said I couldn’t K-I-L-L you because then you wouldn’t be able to babysit for us.” She surprisingly caught on the spelling-bad-words-thing when near children (her own) pretty quickly and she’s rather proud.

Under his breath, Winn mutters, “I didn’t put plaids and pillows everywhere on the floor for nothing, he would have been fine...”

“Heard that !” Alex calls from the couch before returning to the conversation with her mother.

Winn’s scowl deepens and he looks at the little Kaleb. “Jeez, who knew your mom had such a developed hearing, huh ?”

Finally turning, Alex sends him  _ the look.  _ “Watch it, Schott,” she warns while Kara stifles a chuckle behind her hand next to her on the couch.

“Oh— Oh, come  _ on,  _ did you get Kryptonian powers recently ?” he asks as if personally offended — and he probably is, only victim of the scary and legendary Agent Danvers here.

Following the flow, as usual, Eliza chimes in. “It’s a possibility. After all, they do share a son. Who knows what else Kryptonians are capable of ?”

_ “Eliza !”  _ Kara softly chides her, an amused smile on her happy face.

Looking away too innocently, the mother makes a face. “What ? He asked.”

Across from her, Alex is grinning like a proud idiot at having successfully turned her own mother into an evil scientist. “Up top !”

High-fiving, mother and daughter arrogantly smirk at each other while Kara just shakes her head as she sits back comfortably into her couch.

She looks around, looks at every room, every piece of furniture. 

The kitchen, where she’s spent most of Alex’s pregnancy to make her home-cooked meals and healthy — and “disgusting” according to the brunette — drinks.

The bedroom, where soft and loving days and nights overwhelmed and appeased them both.

The bathroom, where Alex’s water broke — and where Kara broke the sink in excitement. 

And this couch, where she asked Alex to marry her in the eyes or Rao, right after taking Kaleb home from the hospital.    
(Alex had known she meant it then because she was a mess and sweaty and Kara still asked her with that look that meant she’d never seen anything more beautiful in her life than a tired looking Alex holding their baby in her arms.)

Her gaze shifts to the TV behind Eliza and up the wall, eyes finding the thing that started everything. Just numbers and levels and “Alexandra Danvers — blood test” written at the top of the sheet.

She smiles softly at the frame, the old and wrinkled paper proudly hanging above the TV. It feels like a lifetime away the day she saw it for the first time, how she felt like her relationship with Alex could never be as it was before — like the tear in the sheet.  
But she feel warmth now at the sight. They hadn’t put tape over it, nor had they printed it again. Instead, they kept it as it was, a little as a reminder that even if they couldn’t go back to what they were before it didn’t mean it was a bad thing. She can’t help the tears in her eyes, only just willing them not to fall, as she thinks back to the last few months spent by Alex’s side and how it all began with this sheet of paper and a broken hiss.

She looks down when she feels fingers intertwine with hers, the warmth immediately familiar and comforting. Her eyes meet Alex’s and hazel tells her that Alex is thinking the same thing.

They wouldn’t trade what they went through for the world, because everything led them here, today, surrounded by family.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it might not be exactly what you wanted but I hope you still liked it ! 
> 
> (I thought Kaleb was a cool name that sounded like Kal-El but was still human passing.)


End file.
